How Sarah Bartowski was Banned from the Fun Center
by MySoapBox
Summary: Advanced CIA training can come in handy. Especially at the Family Fun Center. Futurefic, Oneshot


_Three Strikes or How Sarah Bartowski was Banned from the Family Fun Center_

_Summary: Advanced CIA training can come in handy. Especially at the Family Fun Center._

_Futurefic Oneshot Humor_

* * *

When Sarah got the first red X stamped onto the back of her hand she didn't think much of it. It was the Family Fun Centers policy, the employee in the orange shirt had explained; three strikes and you're out. But she was a 38 year old mother for goodness sake, not some teenager. Could she help it if their laser tag was totally sighted wrong? When she took her son Johnny's laser gun apart while they waited for their round to begin it was only to turn the sight a millimeter to the right. She had made the same correction on her weapon and now it only sighted off a few inches rather then a few feet. The employee said that you didn't need sights, the room was full of smoke and you could see the lasers clearly. Sarah couldn't imagine not needing sights.

When Sarah got her second X she thought it was totally ridiculous. She only crossed the chained off area for a moment. She had to retrieve her favorite throwing knife. It wasn't like she was going to leave it there, pinning the blade of the mini-golf windmill so that her six year old daughter, Sallie, could putt. The girl was at her wits end after several failed tries and the blades were turning ridiculously fast. It's what any loving mother would have done. She was so careful when she threw it, making sure no one was watching. She just wished she had been as vigilant when she crossed the employee's only area to retrieve it. Chuck only rolled his eyes at her when the pimple-faced teen pulled the little red stamp out of his apron pocket. Sarah was just glad that the he hadn't seen the throwing knife palmed in her hand.

When Chuck saw that Sallie was begging to do the shooting gallery he sent Sarah and Johnny to the go-carts. _What harm could Sarah do at the go-carts?_ He thought. The safest bet was to keep Sarah away from anything resembling a gun and maybe he and Sallie would have time to try out a new video game when they were through.

And that is how Sarah found herself standing in line next to her eight year old son Johnny watching the miniature race cars as they sped around the track.

"Which car mom?" he asked, as he jumped up and down in excitement. "The blue one? The yellow one?"

"It's your birthday buddy, whatever you choose," Sarah said squeezing his hand.

The wait hadn't been more then five minutes but to Johnny it felt like it had been forever. He watched the orange shirted teenager wave a checkered flag at the go-carts signaling their final lap. It was almost their turn!

"The red one! Let's get the red one! The one with the flames!"

The go-carts pulled under the awning where they were waiting and stopped on their colored numbers. The air filled with fumes as the drivers exited the attraction and an employee came to the turnstile where the mother and son waited.

"Follow the red arrows to the vehicles and make sure both the lap and shoulder belts are securely fastened. Keep your hands and feet inside the cart at all times and enjoy your day at Family Fun," the employee mumbled as he unlocked the turnstile.

Hand in hand Sarah and Johnny hurried toward the red car, which happened to be first in line. Just as they were about to get into a car, a very large man with a black leather biker vest and goatee shouldered his way in front of them and sat down in the cart.

"Excuse me," Sarah said politely, "we were going to use this car."

"Well I have it now, sweet cheeks," the man drawled, "but maybe you and me can hook up later."

Sarah flashed the man a sickening sweet smile, "I would rather..." but she caught herself and didn't finish her sentence. Then looking down at Johnny she said. "How about the black one?" Johnny nodded.

They left the large man in the red go-cart and walked down the long sidewalk to the very back where a black go-cart with a white racing stripe sat empty. "I like black cars the best anyway," Sarah said, securing Johnny in the shoulder belt. "Red cars may look flashy, but black cars are always the fastest." The boy nodded eagerly.

The lights overhead flashed from red, to yellow, to green and the go-carts were off. The ride was rough and the air was thick with fumes but Johnny loved the feel of racing around the track. His mom seemed to like it too, and soon they passed the yellow car, and then the green. His mom was right, black cars are the fastest. After two laps and some fancy driving they were almost at the front of the pack.

Sarah turned tight on the inside turn and passed the red go-cart to take first position. "Whoopee!" Johnny yelled at the top of his lungs. "You're the best driver in the world, Mom!" Sarah looked over him and smiled.

Then they felt a hard bump. Sarah turned around and saw the front end flames of the red car right on their tail. On the next turn the red car turned tight and struck them again. "Hey, back off!" Sarah yelled over to the man who was now driving next to them. "This isn't bumper cars!"

"What? Can't take it lady?" the man hollered back laughing. He tapped his breaks and disappeared behind them.

Sarah put the pedal to the floor, hoping to leave the irritating man far behind. But on the very next turn she felt that jarring bump of being rear ended again.

"Knock it off," she called over her shoulder. "I have my kid in the car!"

She couldn't see him but she could barely hear him yell something over the growl of the engine, and it wasn't very nice.

"Is your seat belt tight, buddy?" Sarah asked, glancing over to her son. He grabbed on to the straps and pulled them tight. He gave her the thumbs up. "Okay, when I say, I want you to sit straight up and push your head hard against the back of the seat, do you understand?"

"Crash position! Right-o Mom!" Johnny said.

"That's my boy," Sarah said proudly, gripping the wheel tightly with both hands. The next turn was coming fast.

It was all just as Sarah expected. She turned tight into the next turn but even so the red cart still was able to hit her bumper. Sarah had had enough. The track straightened out in front of her and she floored the gas. The red car was right behind her. "Hold on!" she yelled.

Quickly Sarah slammed on the break and then jerked the wheel sharply to the right. The cart squealed and spun across the track, leaving black tread marks and smoke in its wake. Sarah saw the red car pass them in the skid and when they reached 360 she jerked the wheel sharply back to the left straightening out right behind the red cart.

"Are you okay buddy?" Sarah asked, putting her hand on her son's leg.

"Great mom!" Johnny smiled. "That was awesome! Can we do it again?"

"We aren't done yet," Sarah said giving his leg a squeeze. "Now for a dose of his own medicine," and Sarah again shoved the pedal down, tasking the little engine to its limits.

The next turn was only seconds away and the red car had already slowed. "Hold on!" Sarah shouted again. She knew this needed perfect timing. Sarah slammed into the back corner of the red car's bumper with the edge of her bumper. The impact sent the red car careening out of control. Johnny turned his head just in time to see the large man crash into the hay bails behind.

"Whoohoo!" Johnny yelled. "You're the best mom in the whole world!"

Sarah laughed out loud. "And don't you forget it."

"Uh, Mom, I think we better stop," Johnny said, suddenly sobered.

"No, we have one more lap to go," Sarah answered.

"No really Mom, look."

Sarah looked where Johnny was pointing. On the edge of the track up ahead was a man in an orange shirt waving a small red flag angrily and pointing right at them.

"Uh oh," Johnny said.

"Uh oh is right," Sarah agreed. "Daddy's going to kill me."

The End

* * *

_Authors notes:_

_I must give credit where credit is due. Inspiration one how to move the action along came when I read the story "When" by brickroad16. The idea to name Chuck and Sarah's daughter Sallie (a combination between the names Sarah and Ellie) came from the story "Chuck vs the Missing Memories" by ersk4. Both these stories are on this site and I highly recommend them._

_Thanks to all who have taken time to read and special thanks goes to those who take the time to review. A final special thanks to all the authors who contribute to this community. You have given me the gift of countless hours of entertainment._

_I don't own Chuck._


End file.
